Thailand has become a very popular tourist destination lately, and with good reason. The food is amazing, there are so many fantastic things to see and its natural landscapes are beyond stunning – and to top it all off, Thailand is unbelievably cheap. For the same amount of money you’d spend in any other country, you can visit Thailand without ever thinking if you can afford something or not. If you haven’t already put Thailand on your list of places to visit, now would be a good time.
However, since Thai people generally don’t speak English very well (especially in rural areas), you might have a bit of a difficult time getting around Thailand. Your smartphone can be a great deal of help in situations like this because there is a multitude of fantastic apps designed specifically to help you out when traveling to a foreign country. To assist you further, I’ve compiled a small list of what I think are the best apps for this purpose.
1. Viatuktuk
Forget needing a travel guide when you have this app. Viatuktuk is a fantastic tool that shows you attractions and sightseeing spots near your current location, so you can start checking out Thailand the moment you land. If you’re a bit of a social butterfly, this app keeps track of all the other people also using it near your area, so if you want to meet fellow backpackers and explore the country with them this app can help you connect with them. All you have to do is click on their picture and send them a text, it’s that easy.
2. Skyscanner
A very cool flight booking app for the most adventurous of us. Sure, there are plenty of great flight booking applications out there, but what makes Skyscanner special is that it has a function where you can input your location, and set your destination to “Everywhere”. Then, the app will inform you of all the flights that you can currently book from your location, to anywhere in the world.
3. Learn Thai
As I mentioned already, the Thai aren’t really known for their English skill, and in a lot of areas, you’ll find that people don’t know a word of English. Because of this, it’s good sense to have some Thai phrases handy, in case you need to ask for a toilet or anything else you might need. This app can help you out with an array of general phrases that you can use in such a situation by immediately translating the phrase you choose into Thai and playing it out of the phone’s speaker. By doing so, a local can understand you without you yourself having to speak any Thai at all. Quite handy!
4. VPN (for Internet Censorship)
Although Internet censorship in Thailand is not as bad as in China, it’s still something to think about if you use the Internet a lot while on vacation. Using a VPN can help you bypass any troublesome geo-blockades that you might encounter while in Thailand, and give you the same browsing freedom that you’re used to at home.
5. Xe Currency
If you travel a lot, you’re probably already sick of remembering multiple foreign currencies and converting them into your own and vice versa. Xe currency can save you the hassle by updating the current rates whenever you’re on WiFi, and then instantly converting any amount you need into any currency.
6. A Cloud Storage App
Whether it’s Google Drive, OneDrive or Dropbox, I highly recommend that you set yourself up with some Cloud storage before your trip. You’re going to be taking a lot of pictures in Thailand because there’s truly a lot to see, and if you fill up your memory card, you can simply upload your photos to the Cloud and make room for new ones. In addition, if your phone gets lost or stolen, you always have an online backup of your photos, so they’re not permanently lost if you don’t manage to get your phone back.
I sincerely hope that these apps will make your stay in Thailand easier and more enjoyable. It’s a bit of a challenge to travel to any Eastern country since things generally work a bit differently than in the West, but that shouldn’t stop you from visiting this amazing country. Thailand is truly an amazing experience, and it’s a place unlike any other in the world, so just go ahead and book that flight ticket already – you won’t regret it.
Ever since high school, Adam Ferraresi has been passionate about both writing and web development, and he’s since turned this passion into a living. This 23-year-old Texan currently writes for wefollowtech.com, and in his free time he enjoys playing basketball, going to concerts and watching movies with his friends.
